Rollin'...Rollin'...Rollin' down the river...

Have you ever talked to someone who has just recently retired or is looking at that possibility in the near future and asked them what they are going to do after they stop working (for a paycheck, that is)?  They often say they are going to do this or that, travel and maybe take a cruise.  Well guess what, Pam and I just took ours...well sort of.

D&D got us a dinner cruise on the B&B Riverboat in Cincinnati for our Christmas present last year.  We just got around to getting that done, and made a whole weekend out of it.  Kinda rediscovered Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

We hadn't been in that region for quite a while, so the two days was a nice little get-away.  I was concerned at first about the traffic and trying to see things, find a parking space and pay for several in-and-outs at the valet parking.  That proved to be wasted anxiety on my part.  Once we got there and put the car in the lot on Thursday, we didn't take it out again until we left on Saturday morning.  Everything was within walking distance or a mere 10-minute ride on the shuttle which boarded right across from Fountain Square.

Thursday night was our dinner cruise.  Having grown up on the Muskingum River, I really appreciated this cruise.  Kinda reminds me of taking the trip on the stern-wheeler in Zanesville (See article dated July 19, 2009 "Road Trip Down the Muddy Muskingum.").  Of course we didn't get to stear this one (it was about twice the size of the one in Zanesville), but the food was really good and the trip was very nice.  There's just something about taking an old riverboat ride on a big river in the evening, watching the big city lights go by, watching the lights in the little houses along the shore and up on the heights, tucked back in the trees.  Not a lot of noise, no rush ... just very relaxing. 

So we spent lots of time walking.  The first thing we saw was the evening's entertainment at Fountain Square.  They had Salsa bands playing and the place was hopping.  I like salsa (with chips) but don't dance to it!!  So until Glen Miller goes Salsa, you probably won't catch me out on the dance floor. But the music was really fun and sitting there under a tree, watching everyone doing their thing was fun.

The next day, we went to the aquarium at Newport.   It was pretty nice...a bit noisy with all the school kids there for their summer school outing, but pretty nice anyway.  That whole Newport area has been developed with lots of nice shops, good restaurants, and shaded benches for people to sit and watch the river traffic.

We took in a Reds game on Friday night (they lost -- bad managing!!) and stayed for the fireworks (the Reds do fireworks real well!!  Some say they are the best in MLB.).

All in all, this area was a pleasant surprise.  Might have to do it again some time.

It is said that a lake is one of nature's most beautiful and expressive features. That it is Earth's eye; and looking into it, the beholder takes measures of the depth of his own nature.  But I say the mighty river's powers for reflection aren't far behind.

Hooah